"It's very important we get a good start in this competition," he added. "It's the biggest competition and the one everybody wants to win."

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England have Tests on four successive Saturdays in November, against the Pacific Islands, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Ellis, who has not played for his country since the final game of the 2007 Six Nations, is back in the England elite squad.

But his club coach Heyneke Meyer has already warned that, following the scrum-half's anterior cruciate ligament injury in May 2007, he will need careful handling this season.

"If he puts too much pressure on his knee he's going to get chronic injuries there," Meyer said.

You can hear full match commentary of Leicester Tigers v Ospreys on BBC Radio Leicester 104.9FM, DAB and online at bbc.co.uk/leicester from 1230 BST on Sunday. The match will also be broadcast live on Radio 5 Live.

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